QUEZON, Nueva Vizcaya (PIA) - -  Officials of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said the filed legal cases along with the dismantling and confiscation of ball mills of illegal small scale miners and settlers in barangay Runruno here are part of the campaign to prevent an imminent occurrence of landlides that will result to the loss of lives and limbs.

Regional Executive Director Gwendolyn Bambalan said they have filed charges against 32 illegal settlers in barangay Runruno for violation on the provisions of Presidential Decree 705 that prohibits human settlements and dwelling and destruction of the timberland, also declared as no build zone and geo-hazard areas.

Last week, the DENR- Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) led a composite team with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Philippine Army (PA) in dismantling and confiscation of several ball mill parts and their components in sitios Bit-ang, Balcony and Compound to stop the illegal small scale minign activities in the geo-hazard zones.

“We understand their plight but they should understand also that we are implementing and enforcing the law for their safety and security especially now that the rainy season is now in place. We do not want a repeat of the incident that happened in November last year where 10 persons died and 2 others were wounded due to a landslide during  the height of typhoon ‘Ulysses’,” she said.

Bambalan said barangay Runruno has been included in their priority areas under the Build Back Better initiative of the national government aimed at addessing the causes of the flashfloods and landslides in Cagayan Valley during the height of typhoon ‘Ulysses’.

She encouraged illegal small scale miners and settlers in barangay Runruno to heed their call for their safety and security during the onset of the rainy season.

Bambalan said the local government unit of Quezon has identified a 2-hectare relocation site for the illegal settlers and small scale miners within the geo-hazard zones of barangay Runruno.

Quezon Mayor Dolores Binwag said they are now waiting for the funds from the National Housing Authority(NHA) so that they can start the construction of the relocation and housing site in barangay Boliwao.

“This relocation site project is for Runruno residents who will be displaced from their houses in the geo-hazard areas. They will also be given alternative livelihood,” she said.(MDCT/BME/PIA 2/NVizcaya)